2011/02/03

Hope Lake

Hope springs eternal, and I seem to have an enduring fascination with Hope Lake. That’s my name for the large pond atop the bluffs in Hope Ranch. First off, it’s remarkably beautiful both in the shape and setting of the “lake” and in the complex landscape design. The mansions and assorted other buildings are tastefully integrated and extravagantly appointed. It’s a prime example of human expression in the grand estate form.

5167 Hope Lake

I don’t know if it’s two estates sharing the lake, or if it all belongs to the one on the left. Either way, another fascination to me is how much each square foot of that water must represent in real estate value given that if drained it could support quite a large mansion with a commanding ocean view in one of Santa Barbara’s two priciest areas. That baseball diamond would buy quite a large fleet of Tripp-priced planes, or probably a spiffy jet. I’d rather be flying. 🙂